Differential mechanism.



G. D. BAILEY I F. E. IIICE.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHAIIISM.

APPLICATION FILED IuIIIszs, 1915.

Patented Am. 25, N16,

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G. D. BMLEY a; F. E. MCE.

DIFFERENTIAL'MECHANISM. l APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2S. 1915.

il; m@ Patented Apr. 25,1916. 9 3 sHEETs-sHE5T 2.

G. rms/LEY al F.' E. RICE.

DIFFERENUAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE28,19I5

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

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ilFFElEtEl-ETIAL MECEEANISQH.

Specification of .Letters Paten t.

To a-ZZ 'whom t map/ concern Be it known that We, GEORGE DEAN BAILEY and FRANK EDWARD' Rice, citizens of the United States, and. residents of the city of Detroit,v in the county of ll/l/'evne and State of lvlichigin, have invented certain newl and inproveinents in Differential Mechanisms; anti We do hereby (leclerc that the following is e full, clear7 incl exact description out the seine. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, land to the numern els et reterencemarlied thereon, which forni e. part of this specihcation.

Ther general type of differential geerused in motor cor rear axles, is objectionable in respects, chi'ey among which mentioneci the fact that that rein' wheel to v `.'ch chiel-eil the leest trective resistance,

rives the most power from the cliierenon the other hand the other wheel L 1 power. The result oi this unequal on ot the drive causes the ciu' to he ii for any reason one driving wheel to muddy or sandy portion of the the wheel cannot secure proper ne other Wheel not receiving a sutamount of' the power to propel the eer. Then, too, sliicltiing iesults ii for any t1@ reason theiear wheels do not roll upon the kintl'ofsnrfoce, es for instance Wit 1 e vfheel'rolling the eioivn of a stone .el enti the other in dirt oi sencl fit the e, constantly changing resisthnce to the reime-@ive Wheels 'uses :t shifting; of

ower lt'ioin first-one to ne other, so thet et angerons side sway 'is setup, i'esulting, als tuted, in sluddmg and posslhle acculent.

dit i f mimmo; sh the can'. l J it is :m object theretm'e oi' this invention vided with (liicrentirilly movable ratchet wheels'zinrltilting lever pnwls i'or engagement therewith to drive the saune simizitzineously or differentially, either 'Forvmrd or i'evei'sely, as the ease ,they he with the direct lli",

with axle sections, in a dliieiential movement to take place between' may he the moet tmctive resistance receives4 adopted to drive rlhe present invention relates to im im' to construct n differential n'leehzmisin pro-y clrive being imparted in the case of clieren- It is also en object of this invention t construct e differential mechanism embracing it unitary easing Within which are mounted small walking beam or tilting levers which ect to interlockthe casing with ratchet Wheels which are rigidly associated manner permitting a,

said ratchet wheels, insuring the drive being imparted always to the slower'i'evolving Wheel of the vehicle.

lt is also en object of this invention to construct an improved type of differential mechanism wherein the respective axle sec tions of the sectional driving axle have secured thereon ratchet wheels, adapted to he driven ditlerentiiilly :fioni en integral driving segment or casing; hv ooi-action with welll:n ing loeziin spring; iinpellecl pevvls servingr to interlock the segments with the ratchet Wheels, one enel of catch pawl adopted to drive one ofthe ratchet wheels in one direction. sind the other ends of the same pawls the other ratchet Wheel in the qoi'lposite directioni thus preventing the thriving ineens for the (liiierent directions of' rante-.tion7 iforwartl and Teverse, to he engaged sinuiltaheonsi'lv.

lt is furthermore en important object of this inv ition to construct o, diii'erentizil inechonisniwhe exil in a driving se ratchet wheels nient casing to co-ict With. .verl on :Dile .sections to Adrive the seme. one cnil oi? each oi" seid levers ziclaptetl to (hive one ratchet wheel in one direction :mil the other end off each lever adapted to drive the other ratchet wheelin :in opposite direction, tlvl construction, clue to the tilting;` action of the levers.y preventing both chris oi" the sume .lever to he. engljnged siinnlmicov l1 i the ratchet wheels :incl peznxittii A vers to he thrown ont oif engegeniex with both oi? :seid t'zitehet Wheels 'against spring' pressure when eimumstanee` require.

lt iinnllv mi object oil: this invention to construct :a .simplified und silently operating differential mechanism wherein (he slower revolving wheel oli :i vehicle receives the drive whoic n tlili'orcntiul movement is neressitntm'l, :zml :i mechanism which may be easily installed within the axle housine ipe. et. wie.

n tiltinsff levers are inonntfor replacementot' the differential gear on .motor cars already in use.

. terior end view off the mechanism with a cover plate or endmember detached. Fig. 4 is a detail sectionI taken Qn line l-Jc of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a central vertical sectionv taken through the driving casing and pawl carrying element of the gear. Fig. G is a central sectionl taken on line G-G of Fig. 5. .Fim 7 is a detail section taken on line 7 -7 of Fig. 6. Fig. S'is a detail elevational view of one-of the tiltinglever or' walking beam pawls. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View illustrating the method of mounting one of the hardened steel seats in place in 'the driving element. Fig. -1O is a similar -view thereof, showing the same mounted in lposition.

As shown in the d 'aw'ingst The reference numeral 1, indicates as a whole a differential housinginto which the ends ol axle sections 2, of a' sectional driving axle extend. Also extending into the' diltferential housing 1, at right angles to the axle sec- .'tions 2, is a drive shaft 3,'mounted in suitable bearings provided for the'lpurpose, and at its end having a` bevel pinion 4, secured thereon. Said bevel pinion 4, meshes with a large'bevel gear ring' 5, which is rigidly secured to the peripheral flange (i, of a double segment housing or cage member 7. Detail views of said cage or housing 7, are Shown in Figs 5, l; and 7, and it will be seen by reference thereto that, the same. is

formedwith a central linb S, into which the extreme ends ot' the axle sections 2, project, as shown in Fig. 2. Four bolts l), cx tend' through apertures provided forl the purpose in'said hub l@, tittingg as shown in Fig. 2, into the recessed or grooved ends.

oftheiaxle sections to maintain thc saine rotatably but positively associated with said cage or housing and prevent withdrawal ofal section therefrom, except by 4removal of the proper bolts Projecting radially outwardly from said hub 8, as clearly shown inA Figs. 5. and (i. extensions 10, iii the ends otwhich arc engaged in any suitable manner hardened steel seats 1.1. The purpose ot' said hardened steel seats ll, is to receive tilting lever pawls 12, resting thereon under the stress of spiral' compression springs 13, seated in plugs 14, which -are threaded into ap.rtures -ret'erence numeral 17, and recessed to receive a hardened steel pin 1S, therein adapted to bear against the end of the tilting levei' pawl 12, when the same is iii driving 30 position. Said hardened steel pins 18, are associated with the housing or cage 7,.in` a An ovel manner to' insure positive retainnient thereof, and for this purpose, as clearly shown in Figs. Sl and 10, said pins are pe- 85 ripherally recessed just. beneath the head thereof, and upon being driven into the aperture-pi'ovided therefor in the enlarged portion 17, of the cage, the metal forced outwardly :r slight amount around the 11p- 99 per end of the aperture, as denoted by the reference numeral 1l), is forced into the recessed portion ot' the pin in the manner 4shown in Fig. 10, so that the pin is thus positively held in place. The inner adjaeent ends ot" the axle sections 2, are squared, and secured on cach thereof are ratchet wheels 2i). adapted to` receive the ends of the respective tilting lever pawls seat-ed therein for the purpose of ell'ecting driving 100 engagement between the housing oi' cage 7, and said ratchet wheels. Secured upon the hub portion S, ot' the cage 7, and retained positively associated with said cage by means of pins 2l, are pick-up plates 22, 105 which as clearly shown in Fig. 2, lie flatr against the inner fac-es ol the respective ratchet wheels 2l), anilcach ot' said plates, as clearly shown in Fig. l, is provided in its `edges with a curved recess or notch affordlO -ing an abutment 21%, at points diametrrcally opposite one. another. y

Fitted rotatably around the hubs ot the respective ralchct wheels 20. and also around ysaid axle sectionsl L. are end members or surrounding the axle sections 2. are felt washers 2h', which serve to confine the grease 330 within the di'erential housing for the'mech- -anlsms therein, preventing leakage along the axle sections.

The operation is as follows: Under normal4 driving bevel' pinion 4, drives the bevel gear ring 5, and

operating conditions the the cage or housing 7 therewith, and one end of each of the'respec'tive tilting lever pawls 12, serves vto drive the respective ratchet wheels 20, due to the fact that theV-notches 16, in the' web of said cage or housing bear upon the ends of the 'pawls in the'inanner shown in Figs. 3 and 4, holding one of the ends of the respective pawls in-the notches. of the ratchet wheels. One end of each pawl is adapted to drive one ratchet wheel in .one

direction and the other end of the same pawl is adapted to drive the other ratchet wheel in an opposite direct'in,..and at .no j

time .can both ends of a pawl be in engagement withA both of the respective ratchetwheels-20.

Referring to Fig. 2, the topmo'st pawl 12,

-is 'in driving engagement with the right hand ratchet wheel 20, and the lower pawl 12, is in engagement with the left hand ratchet 'wheel 20, so that the-respective axle sections'2, rotatetogether an'd at the same speed. 1n the event of a differential action taking place, as when `th'e vehicle turns a corner, thus causing the outermost wheel to rotate. faster, and the axle section and respective ratchet wheels therewith, the pickup plate 22,.' serves to throw the.' end 'of the pawl, which is in driving engagement, up wardly out of the notch in the ratchet wheel, due to the fact that -the ratchet wheel drives or thrusts the end of the pawl against the' -abutment ,23, of said pick-up plate, and at such a time botha ends of that particular tilting lever pawl are out of engagement with the ratchet wheels, the pawl being lifted away from the hardened steel seat 11, against th-e compression of the spring 13. That pawl,however, driving the inner' or slower revolving vehicle wheel through itsv respective ratchet wheel on its axle section,

, tion 4remains 1n engagement. Assuming the tilting lever pawls to be in the p'osition shown. 'in Fig. 2, for driving' forwardly, in the event that the rear wheels of the vehicle coast. and thus .tend to turn'faster than the driving mechanism therefor', said pawls reverse their position, that is the respective pawls shown in Fi 2,ti1t c'ounterclockwise from the posi'- siiown to interlock the' respective ratchet wheels 20, with the housing or` cage 7, so

v that the ratchet wheels drive the housing and consequently the bevel gears in the saine manner as the ordinary differential gear. The mechanism operates automatically, however, ,to throw out an interlocking pawl if for' any reason, even when coasting, one of the wheels is caused to rotate faster than the other, and in such an event of course the tit pawl which is thrown out of locked position is lifted outwardly from its seat 11, against ratchet wheels and pawlsbeing of hardened steel, aswell as the pin 18, against which the ends of the pawls bear when in driving engagement between the n ratchet wheel and housing, precludes any appreciable wear on Ithe mechanism.

We are aware that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the 'patent granted otherwise than necessitated by-the prior art.

Wecla-im as our invention '1. In a device of the classdescribed the combi'nationwith axle' sections, of ratchet wheels secured on each thereof, a carrying element journaled between saidratchet wheels, tilting pawls mounted transversely on said carrying element, one end of each thereof in position to engage one. of saidl ratchet wheels, and theother in position to engage` the'o'ther'of said ratchet wheels, and

means integral with saidcarrying element adapted to bear upon the outer ends of said pawls when the same are. tilted into engagement with the ratchet wheels to impart adrive to said wheels through said pawls.

2. In a''device of the c ass described the combination' with axle sectionsgof ratchet wheels secured thereon, means mounted piv' otally between said ratchet v wheels adapted to engage either one Ithereof for driving, but prevented from engaging both thereof simultaneously, a carrying element for said means, said means capable of tiltin direction and pivoting in another direction, and drivingmechanism integral with said element for contact with the ends of said means to thru'st the same into engagement with said ratchet wheels to impart a drive thereto.

3. ln a device of the class described the combination with independently rotatable' axle sections, of ratchet wheels` rigidly secured thereon, a carrying element journaled yon said ratchet wheels having recesses therein, tilting sprmg nnpelled pawls mounted transversely in said carrying element,- one end of a pawlv adapted to engage a ratchet wheel for driving in one direction and the other end of said pawl adapted to engage the other ratchet wheel for driving in the in one ite other direction, driving mechanism integral- With said carrying element for wedging the ends of said pawls into driving Vengagement Withthe ratchet wheels, and means driving said integral mechanism and carrying elenent. v

4. In a differential mechanism of the class described the combination with axle sections, of ratchet wheels rigidly secured thereon, said ratchet wheels having extended hubs on each side thereof, a cage fitting therebetween and journaled thereon, end plates bolted' to said cage and journaled on the outer hub extensions of said ratchet wheels, and tilting lever pawls mounted iii said cage adapted td eieet driving engagement between the saine and said ratchet wheels to d rivethe axle sections,

5.- In a differential mechanism of the class' described the combination with axle sections having ratchet wheels secured thereon, yof a cage memberJourn-aled between said 'ratchet wheels, end plates bolted to said cage' and journaled on the outer hub-extensions of said ratchet wheels, tilting ypawls pivotally mounted in said cage adapted to inter- "lock the same with one or both of said ratchet wheels, and means secured in said l cage to throw said pawls out df driving engagement to permit dierential movement of said ratchet wheels.

6. `In a differential gear ofthe class de scribed the combination with ratchet wheels, of tilting lever pawls adaptedr to engage said ratchet wheels, and an integral driving and carrying element for said pawls adapted to conta'ctthe outer ends of said pawls to wedge the ends thereofl in said ratchet wheels lto transmit .the drive to said ratchet wheels.

-7. Ina device of the class described the combination with a housing,` a bevel gearring'secured thereonadaptedlto receive a drive, axle sections extending into said housing, ratchet wheels-secured upon said axle sectional-bolts extending through said housing adapted to retain the axle" sections engaged'withiii the housing, and tilting pawl drive thereto.

levers mounted within said housing adapted to effect driving engagement only at their ends between the housing and said ratchet -wheels to permit diii'ereiitial movement thereof. v l

8 In-a device of the class described the combination with the axle sections of an axle, of ratchet wheels secured-thereon, a carrying element disposed between said.

ing element, the ends thereof adapted toen-- gage said ratchet wheels, -and integral -extensions on said carrying element adapted to .wedge the ends of said pawls into engagement with said ratchet wheelsv to impart a 1.0. In a device of the class described the combination with axle scctions,of ratchet wheels secured thereon, hub extensions vformed on the inner sides of said ratchet wheels, acari'yiiig element joui-nailed on said hub extensions, tilting pawls mounted on said carrying element adapted to swing into engagement' with said ratchet wheels, and

extensions integral with said carrying ele ment to wedge the ends of said pawls into engagement with said ratchet wheels to. im part a drive thereto.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our naines in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE DEAN-BAILEY. I FRANK EDXVARD RICE. Witnesses: HARRY H. BAILEY, v H. M. CAMPAU. 

